Moomin Valley & Nagatoro - Private Day Tour from Tokyo

On a lake in the hills of Saitama, ninety minutes from Tokyo, is the only Moomin theme park outside Finland – Moomin Valley Park, built around the stories of Tove Jansson with the Moominhouse, the bathhouse, the lighthouse and a stage where the characters appear. Half an hour further up the valley is Nagatoro, where flat-bottomed boats have run the rapids of the Arakawa River past the rock terraces for a century. Put together they make a day that children and adults enjoy in equal measure, and nobody else offers it.

We collect you at your Tokyo hotel and drive to Hanno. The morning is in the park: the Moomin house you can walk through, the Emma’s Theatre show, the exhibition of the original books, the zip line across the lake for the brave and the Finnish cafes. Metsa Village next door is free and has canoes on the lake and Nordic shops.

After lunch we drive up to Nagatoro. The river boats are steered with poles by boatmen who have done it for generations; the ride runs through a mild rapid and past cliffs, and children love it. Then we walk on Iwadatami, the flat rock terraces along the bank, and stop for the town’s famous shaved ice made from natural ice cut from a mountain pond in winter. If time allows we add Hodosan Shrine at the foot of the mountain before driving back to Tokyo.

What you pay is what you pay

The price is one fixed amount for your whole group: the private van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide for the day. There are no per-person supplements and no booking fees. Your Nagatoro river boat ticket is included in the price. Moomin Valley Park entry tickets are included in the price. Lunch is optional – bring your own or buy in Nagatoro.

Good to know

The river boat runs from March to early December in fine weather. If the boat does not run on your date (winter, high water or bad weather) we will tell you before the tour and you can choose the Hodosan Ropeway ride instead, and that ticket is included in the price too – you never pay extra on the day, or a full refund of your whole booking, guaranteed. Moomin Valley Park is busiest on weekends; weekdays are quiet.

Flexible day

This is your private tour, so the day is flexible. If you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby, write it in the booking notes or tell your driver-guide on the day and we will adjust the route where time allows.